gnarley:
Can't you guys with Alpha's install a shift interupter? As you shift the momentary engine kill should prevent the damage to the drive, that was OMC's better idea & is still in use by some I think. It would be way less expensive to do something like that I think.Gnarley,
The alpha does have a shift interupter to get them out of gear into nuetral, if it were the other way it would probaly stall the engine do to lowering rpm and loading at the same time.
The alpha is a lot stronger than most think, they were installed on 30 + footers with twin big blocks back in the 70's and most of the 80's.
It's all in how you Maintain them and Operate them.
Your rear differential in your truck won't take wide open starts all the time either, sooner or later it'll wheel hop and something will break.